Philippine facts - Page two - By travel authority Howard Hillman

Philippine
facts & tidbits

page 2

Philippine history
in brief

First inhabitants

Humans from the Malayan Peninsula settled parts of the Philippine Islands at least 30,000 years ago.

Europeans

The first to set foot on the islands were the explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew in 1521. Some people erroneously believe that Magellan was the first to circle the globe. He was killed by the native chief Lapu Lapu six weeks after he landed in the Philippines. It was Magellan's crew who completed the historic journey.

Spanish colonial period

It spanned over three centuries. Native uprisings occurred periodically.

Battle of Manila see painting above

The Spanish colonial rule ended in 1898, with the help of the American navy, which defeated the Spanish fleet in the famous Battle of Manila.

American colonial period

Spain sold the Philippines to the USA in 1898 for 20 million US dollars. American control lasted virtually a half-century, not without protests. During that time, the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1941, but were defeated by the Americans and Filipinos several years later.

Philippine independence

In 1946, America relinquished its sovereignty, and the Philippines became an independent nation.